1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of caps having visors and, more particularly, to a baseball-style cap having a flexible yet shape-sustaining visor. This application is related to and commonly owned with a U.S. Patent Application entitled, CAP WITH A PLIABLE VISOR, filed concurrently herewith.
2. Description of the Related Art
As known in the prior art, a baseball style cap generally includes a crown main body and a visor portion that is secured to the forward edge of the crown and extends outwardly therefrom to provide protection from sunlight or rain. Such caps are widely used by persons of both sexes and all ages.
Typically, the visor portion includes a stiffening insert in order to reinforce the visor so that it can act to protect the wearer from sunlight. With conventional caps, the stiffening insert is not resilient such that, once bent or folded, the visor cannot be restored to its original shape. Therefore, the cap cannot be folded and placed into the wearer""s coat or trouser pocket when not in use, because to do so would permanently deform the visor. The wearer is thus required to carry the cap in hand if he or she does not have a suitable bag or other carrying case within which to place the cap when it is not being worn. This is inconvenient and also increases the likelihood that the wearer, in setting the cap down to do something else, will leave the cap unintentionally.
Alternatively, caps having inserts made of flexible fabric materials have been used. These are easy to carry but, because the exterior of the visor has very little supporting capability, the visor becomes slack following laundering, rendering the flexible insert ineffective.
Therefore, a need exists for a cap having a flexible visor, allowing the cap to be conveniently carried when not being worn, which is also sufficiently stiff to provide desired protection from the elements. There is also a need for a freely transforming visor that can be shaped into and maintain different configurations, even when the shaping force is removed.
In view of the foregoing, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved cap structure that can support a visor and which is also convenient to carry when not being worn.
Another object of the present invention is a cap having a pliable, freely transforming, visor which can be manipulated into different shapes, and maintain such shapes, so as to be effective in use by individuals for a variety of outdoor purposes.
A further object of the invention is a cap having a visor that can be repeatedly deformed and reformed, in accordance with various needs, without damaging the outward form of the visor.
In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention is directed to a cap having a pliable, freely transformable visor which includes an upper covering portion, a lower covering portion, and a resilient stiffener placed therebetween. The cap further includes a piped covering portion that is located between the upper and lower covering portions, adjacent an outer periphery of such upper and lower portions, into which a deformable material is inserted. The deformable material includes a compressed molding having a channel therein, into which a metal material without restorative force is inserted.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.